Trump to have dinner with Qatari premier following Israeli strikes on Doha

WASHINGTON

US President Donald Trump will sit down for dinner with Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani, the White House announced Friday, following Israeli strikes on Doha that have sparked sweeping condemnation.

"President Trump will be having dinner tonight with Steve Witkoff and Qatar's prime minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani," the White House said in a statement.

The location and time of the dinner remain unclear, but Trump is currently in New York and is staying at his eponymous Manhattan tower.

Israeli warplanes launched an airstrike targeting Hamas’ leadership in the Qatari capital on Tuesday. Five Hamas members and a Qatari security official were killed in the attack.

Trump expressed strong displeasure with Israel after the strikes were carried out on Doha, and the US made the exceptionally rare decision of backing an official UN Security Council censure against Tel Aviv.

"This was a decision made by Prime Minister Netanyahu, it was not a decision made by me. Unilaterally bombing inside Qatar, a Sovereign Nation and close Ally of the United States, that is working very hard and bravely taking risks with us to broker Peace, does not advance Israel or America’s goals," Trump said in a social media post.

Trump said in the aftermath of the attack, he spoke with Qatari Emir Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani and the prime minister "and thanked them for their support and friendship to our Country."

"I assured them that such a thing will not happen again on their soil. I have directed Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, to finalize the Defense Cooperation Agreement with Qatar," he added.